Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: Will Importing Prescriptions Lower The Cost?; PCPs Should Be Treating Opioid Use Disorder
Bloomberg: Florida Wants To Import Prescription Drugs. Good Luck
The US pays 50% more per capita for prescription drugs than Canada. Frustrated by this discrepancy, a handful of states in recent years have developed plans to import cheaper medications from across the border. Florida recently became the first state to get approval from the Food and Drug Administration to do so. (1/16)
South Florida Sun Sentinel: Like Canada, U.S. Should Control Drug Prices
Canada too has a powerful pharmaceutical lobby. According to news reports, it has stifled the review board’s most recent price-control undertakings. The director and two board members resigned, with one of them blaming the Canadian government for surrendering to industry pressure. The important difference is still that Canada has comprehensive price controls, however effective they may be, and the U.S. does not. Our consumers will continue to be stiffed until we have them too. (1/15)
New England Journal of Medicine: Treating Opioid Use Disorder In General Practice — Diagnosis, Harm Reduction, And Medications
In this Double Take video from the New England Journal of Medicine and NEJM Knowledge+, L.J. Punch (the T St. Louis, a harm-reduction program), Sarah Bagley (Boston Medical Center), Jennifer Foreman (Randolph Health Medical Group), and Scott Hadland (Massachusetts General Hospital for Children) review how primary care providers can best care for patients with opioid use disorder. They guide clinicians on how to diagnose the disorder, build trust with patients, offer counseling on harm reduction, and use medications to treat addiction and withdrawal symptoms. (Sarah Bagley, M.D., et al, 1/11)
